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Monday, 24 February 2014

One of the workouts I have put together for weeks 24-27 is a
another traditional circuit-based workout.I
have chosen 5 different full-body exercises, with a particular focus on back
for the upper body.As your belly continues
to grow, you may need to modify the weight you are lifting.Be careful with all exercises, but in
particular, stay strong with the kettlebell swing as your centre of gravity is
continuing to change and you may find you get more easily thrown off balance.

Here is what I did:

Kettlebell Swings

Assisted Pull-ups

Kettlebell Goblet Squats

Jungle Gym Reverse Pushups

Kettlebell Deadlifts

As always, you should already be performing
these types of exercises at this intensity prior to pregnancy AND have
approval from your health care provider to exercise.

Monday, 17 February 2014

Another workout I have put together for weeks 20-23 of pregnancy is a circuit-based workout.

This workout is comprised of 5 exercises that are completed consecutively, followed by a short rest. I completed the circuit 3 times, for a total of 15 working sets. As this is not a time-based workout, take rest between exercises as you need it!

Here is what I did:

Kettlebell Goblet Squats

Pull-ups (negatives)

Kettlebell Deadlifts

Incline Bench Press

Racked Kettlebell Step-back Lunges

For the pull-ups, I had Alex spot me. I started in the up position and then lowered myself as slowly as possible. I really felt it in my lats the next day! For the incline bench press, I made sure I was on a good incline, not laying too flat. I also used a lower weight than I would have pre-pregnancy.

As always, you should already be performing
these types of exercises at this intensity prior to pregnancy AND have
approval from your health care provider to exercise.

Monday, 10 February 2014

A great workout style to try at this stage of your pregnancy is a Density workout. This is a time-based workout that is efficient, and combines both strength and conditioning components.

For this workout, I have chosen 10 different upper and lower body exercises. These exercises are completed as pairs, for 5 minutes per pair. If you get tired, add in some runs or something like shadow boxing. I try to perform one set of each exercise, run up and down a flight of stairs, perform another set, followed by another run and one final set. For most exercises, this can be completed in 5 minutes. Then take 2 minutes rest before starting the next pair. The entire workout takes 35 minutes.

Here is what I did:

1. Kettlebell Goblet squats
2. Kettlebell overhead carries - I did this just walking back and forth across my basement

Kettlebell Goblet Squat

3. Kettlebell Deadlifts
4. Jumping Toe Touches

5. Kettlebell swings
6. Kettlebell Press

Kettlebell Swing

7. Hip Thrusts
8. Kettlebell Snatches

9. Racked Kettlebell Step-back lunges
10. Kettlebell Cleans

Racked Kettlebell Step-back Lunge

As always, you should already be performing
these types of exercises at this intensity prior to pregnancy AND have
approval from your health care provider to exercise.

Make this workout as easy or hard as you like by increasing the weight you use or the number of reps you perform. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Wednesday, 5 February 2014

As you continue to get further along in your pregnancy, you will need to modify your workouts accordingly. One area that you should continue to focus on is your back. Keeping your back strong will help to improve your posture (along with many other benefits).

Check out this article posted by Girls Gone Strong to find out more about the benefits and specific back exercises to focus on:

You may find that these exercises (especially pull-ups) become more difficult the further along you get in pregnancy, with the more weight you gain. If you are struggling with your pull ups, try doing them with a spotter to help you, or use resistance bands to lessen the load. If you are using bands, ensure you are not bouncing up and down, but still performing controlled movements.

You can also try "negatives" which emphasize the lowering part of the exercise. Start in the top position (jump, use a bench, or use a spotter to get there) and then lower yourself down as slowly as possible.

Make an effort to incorporate these exercises into all of your workouts for a strong and healthy back!